Ryan Reynolds & Will Ferrell’s Christmas Carol Retelling Tops Apple TV Charts

Spirited has been resurrected as a worldwide streaming hit at the perfect time. The 2022 Christmas musical comedy is a modern retelling of the classic 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, and stars Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in the lead roles.

Now, three years after its release, Spirited ranks fourth on Apple TV’s Top 10 movies worldwide for today, just in time for the start of December. It ranks below The Family Plan 2, The Family Plan, Highest 2 Lowest, and above The Lost Bus, Fountain of Youth, The Gorge, Greyhound, Wolfs, and Ghosted.

Spirited is a Top 10 movie on Apple TV in 79 countries this week, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and many more.

Directed by Sean Anders, who co-wrote the script with John Morris, Spirited follows The Ghost of Christmas Past (Will Ferrell) who, approaching retirement and close to returning to Earth, chooses an unredeemable man named Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds) as his next project, who ultimately helps him confront his own past.

The film features songs written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Spirited‘s cast also includes Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (The Help), Sunita Mani, Patrick Page, Andrea Anders, Marlow Barkley, Joe Tippett, Jen Tullock, two-time Emmy nominees Tracy Morgan (30 Rock, Saturday Night Live), Rose Byrne (Damages), and Oscar winner Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love) in her final film appearance before her retirement from acting in 2022.

Spirited received positive reviews from critics for being so cheerfully excessive that it’s pleasantly entertaining to watch at times, though it doesn’t contribute anything new to the extensive history of Christmas Carol adaptations, receiving a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds dancing in the poster for Apple TV+'s Spirited

Audiences also appreciated its musical numbers, lively choreography, and strong cast, resulting in a lively and cheerful holiday experience and earning an 80% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Spirited has resurfaced on Apple TV’s streaming charts ahead of another big adaptation of A Christmas Carol from director Ti West and Johnny Depp, who is set to star as Ebenezer Scrooge in the darker adaptation due out on November 13, 2026.